The objective of this breeding program was primarily to develop a plant with the following characteristics:
(a) Decorative foliage of a pleasing shade of green that blends well with that of other perennial plants and ornamental shrubs.
(b) Attractive pink flower buds that open into flowers that are distinctive for the pink color and form, that are well posed on the plant and that remain open for most of the day.
(c) A plant of medium size and vigor, of good form and habit, and with good landscape quality.
The breeding program which produced `Sweet Caroline` extended over a period of some 20 years. The pollen parent was an unnamed hybrid seedling resulting from multiple crossings of Hibiscus coccineus, Hibiscus militaris, Hibiscus moscheutos and Hibiscus palustris. The seed parent was an unnamed seedling selected from a self-pollinated progeny of Hibiscus `Plume`. Each generation of seedlings was rigidly screened for the above named characteristics. Only those which most nearly met all standards were selected as parents of succeeding generations.
The new plant produced its first flowers in the summer of 1985. It was selected for testing and propagation because of its beautiful pink flower buds and flowers. Asexual propagation of this new plant by vegetative cuttings and by division of the rootstocks was carried on at Ridgely, Md. These asexually-propagated progeny exhibit flower and plant characteristics exactly like those of the parent plant.